Log-unloading machine



Feb. 22, 1927. 1,618,917

M. F. CRAWFORD LOG UNLOADING MACHINE I Filed May 22. 1926 s Sheets-Sheei 1 IN VEN TOR V ME Crawford 4. Bywvmw q-M ATTORNEY'S'.

1 1 Feb 1927 M. F. CRAWFORD 7 LOG uuwwma Imam:

Filed Kay 22, 1926 s sheets-sheet 2 IN VENT 0R Mi. lf'mwford' ATTORNEYJ! Patented Feb.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

MILLABD FI LLMORE CRAWFORD,

OF NATALBANY, LOUISIANA.

LOG-UNLOADING MACHINE.

Application filed May 22, 1928. Serial No. 110,941.

The present invention relates to improvements in log un d has loading machines, an

for anobject toeprovide a machine for use in unloading logs, piling, poles or other Sunilar material from log, or other cars or vehicles.

Another object of vide a device of of being installe the invention is to prothis character which admits d upon a car for easy and convenient transportation and which is subject to operation A further object of the invention is toproby a single workman.

vide a log unloading machine of simple and compact construction reliable in operation and one and convenient ad ustment for of quick ejecting the logs \Vith the foregoing and that will be entirely which admits from all parts of the cars. other objects in view, the invention will be more fully, 'described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed hereto.

In the drawings,

out in the claims appended wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of animproved log unloading machine constructed according to the present-invention and with parts shown in section.

Figure 2 is a Figure 3 is an end elevation, parts shown in section.

side elevation thereof, and with parts Referring more particularly to the drawings 4c designate s the railway ties or road bed laidin the customary horizontal plane for receiving the rails 5 and 6 supporting the wheels 7 of the car or carriage on which is mounted the improved log unloading device.

This railway is laid alongside of a second paralleling railway 8, one of the rails 9 of which supporting the cars 11 carrying the logs 12 to into apond or stream is shown in Figure 3 for wheels 10 of the railway be ejected to the right of the paralleling railway shown in this Figure 3.

it will be noted that the road bed Sis disposed on an inclination to the horizontal with its higher side next the road bed 4 in order that the cars 11 carrying the logs 12 may vorable to -the rol ofl' the car and 11 by any suitab be supported in a slanting position faling of the logs transversely down the embannient at whereby the logs may The the platform of the car le means as for instance by the side stakes 13 mounted in the clips 14 at the sides of the car or the car may have removable sides or be constructed in any desired manner providing that access may be had by the plunger head 14: of the ejecting device to the logs. ,This plunger head is provided with short pins or spikes 15 preferably sharpened at their ends in order to bite into the legs. Being short,'however, the penetration will only be slight to avoid injury to the lumber to befcut from the logs.

The plunger head 14 is carrieduponn plunger rod 16 mounted slidably through one headl? of a ram cylinder 18 in which the piston 19, connected to the piston rod 16, reciprocates, and is propelled by the use of. steam hydraulic. pressure, compressed air or other appropriate medium.

The ram cylinder '18 is supported pivotally upon the trunnions 20 and 21, shown in Figures 1 and 2. These trunnions project from opposite sides of the cylinder at an intermediate point, but preferably further from the outer cylinder head 17 than from theopposite cylinder head 22 in order to'create a slight overbalance in favor of the outer cylinder portion, resulting in the tendency of the "head let 'to descend to the outward operative position where it will be in readiness for operation upon the logs 12.

The trunnions 20 and 21 are hollowor are traversed by passages or pipes to enabler the active medium to be delivered der and to escape therefrom. of steam, which may be prepared in the boiler 2?) installed upon the carriage or car 24, the pipe 25 connects the'domeor steam space of the boiler through the trunnion 20 with the steam chest or valve casing 26 mounted upon the cylinder above the trunnions. From this valve chamber or shell extend the steam inlet pipes 27 and 28 to opposite ends of t cylinder 18 or through 113 the heads 22 and 17. lhe valve or steam to the cylin- In the case" chest 26 is also connected by the exhaust pipes 29 and 30 with opposite end portions of the cyhnder. The valve contained in the chamber 26 is of well known type and forms nion 21. Thefmain exhaust pipe is inchcated at 34 and this pipe connects with the valve chest 26 through the trunnion 21.

Steam may be also furnished from the boiler through a pipe 35 to a steam engine 36 installed upon the car 24 and connected to the wheels 7 thereof for the purpose of driving the car. The car may also be coupled to a locomotive for drawing it about.

The shaft 32 is coupled to an arm 37. The arm 37 is in turn pivoted to one end of a link 38 and this link connects with a lug 39 upon a rock shaft 40 which rock shaft is provided with a second arm 41 coupled to the link 2 connecting with the plunger rod 43 of the valve.

The trunnions 20 and 21 are mounted in appropriate bearings in the standards 44 and 45 which are erected upon the platform of the car at a substantially central point and to the side adjoining the log holding car 11. These brackets are further carried upon pedestals 46 and 47 mounted upon the car bed and these pedestals extend transversely of the car throughout the major intermediate portion thereof as shown in Figure 3. The pedestals are further provided with the upper reinforcing plates 48 and tie bolts or rods 49 pass through these plates 48, through the pedestals and the bed of the car in order to form a firm foundation for supporting the swinging ram cylinder and strengthening the standards 44 and 45 carrying this ram cylinder and also to oppose any rocking stresses set up in the posts 44 and 45 by reason of the reaction between the logs and the plunger head 14. F or this purpose diagonal tie rods or braces 50 are coupled between the upper portions of the standards 44 and 45 and the far ends of the pedestals 46 and 47 thus forming a relatively strong triangular open structure and furthermore serving to provide a beam support 51 for the hand wheel 52 and drum 53 by which the ram cylinder is rotated about its trunnions.

The drum 53 receives thereon the cable 54. This cable is directed downwardly from the drum through the floor of the car and about a pulley 55 mounted within the floor of the car. From this pulley the cable is directed horizontally toward the log carrying car and thence upwardly through the two pulleys 56 and 57 and within the guide bracket 58 carried at the outer edge of the car platform. From the upper pulley 57 the cable is directed diagonally to the closed head 22 of the ram cylinder 18 this closed head being provided with the bracket 59 for carrying the pulley 60 through which the cable is passed. The cable is thence carried in a return run diagonally down to the car platform to which it is secured as by the eye bolt or staple 61. By rotating the hand wheel 52 the cable may be wound upon, or unwound from, the drum 53 and the ram cylinder 18 accordingly shifted about its trunnions or pivots.

The drum is provided with a brake band 62 engaging an appropriate braking surface 63 at the side of the drum whereby the rotation of the drum may be checked. This brake band 62 is provided with a turn buckle 64 for adjusting it. To the turn buckle is connected the rod 65 which is pivoted to the lever 66 fulcrumed at an appropriate point within or beneath the car bed.

The lever is connected for-operation to the bar 67 carrying the pedal 68 for engagement by the operatofis foot. A coil spring 69 surrounds the rod 65 beneath the turn buckle and acts to draw the rod 65 upward to re lease the brake and hold all weight to fully release brake band from drum and relieve all friction.

The oars 24 and 1]. are preferably coupled together laterally in order to prevent separation or tilting due to the reaction between the logs and the plunger head, which reac tion might have a tendency to topple the inclined car 11 off its track. This coupling is preferably secured by the use of chains 70, preferably two or more chains being used and these chains are provided at one side wit-h the large open links 71 suitable for slipping over the stakes 13, the upper ends of which are rounded and reduced for facilitating this engagement.

The other ends of the chains areengaged with clips 72 which resiliently em brace the standards 44 and 45, the standards being preferably of I beam construction or having flanges to receive the inner ends of the clips 72 and prevent the clips from being pulled toward the log car 11. The links of the chain 70 can be selectively en aged with the clips 72 so as to permit the use of any length of chain desired. The car platform may also hold the water tank 73 and the fuel bin 74, so that the device is a self contained unit.

It will be seen, particularly from Figure 2, that the valve handle 31, the l and wheel 52 and the brake pedal 68 are all disposed close together for the convenient operation of a single workman.

In the use of the device the ram cylinder 18 will normally project upwardly and should the car have a continuous roof, this roof may be cut away slightly to receive the ram cylinder in the vertical position. In this position it will not project'sidewise from the car and will not be apt to interfere with objects along the track nor sustain injury itself. The self contained car may be used to draw log trains in addition to ejecting the logs, but when it is used for unloading purposes it is driven up alongside of a log loaded car on the inclined track and the ram cylinder is lowered to a horizontal or substantially horizontal position whereby the plunger head is will be in position to engage the topmost row of the logs 12. This lowering movement is secured by depressing the pedal 68, which will release the brake, the ram descending by gravity. The descent may be regulated by holding upon the hand wheel 52. Should the ram head descend to too low a level, the hand wheel 52 may be turned suitably for returning it to the cor rect angular position and the valve handle 31 may then be pulled to turn steam into the ram cylinder causing projection of the plunger iead. After the plunger head is returned to position the ram cylinder may be swung down to bring the plunger head in the path of the next row of logs and this method of operation is followed until all of the logs have been ejected from the inclined log carrying car. The sweep of the plunge head will preferably be entirely across the inclined car 11 in orderto eject any single log that may be lodged upon the far side of the car.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the detail of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with an inclined railway, a log loaded car thereon, of a log unloading machine adapted to be ranged alongside said log loaded car, means carried by said machine for engaging and ejecting the logs laterally from the inclined car, and a connection between said inclined car and said machine for holding the same against separation during the ejecting action.

2. In combination with a horizontal railway, and an inclined railway paralleling the horizontal railway, log loaded cars upon the inclined railway, a log unloading machine on the horizontal railway, log ejecting means carried by said machine for sweeping laterally over the log loaded cars on the inclined *ailway, and a connection between said machine and log loaded car for preventing lateral separation of the machine and car during the ejecting action.

3. In combination with a horizontal raila way, and an inclined railway paralleling the horizontal railway with its higher side next the horizontal railway, a log loaded car on the inclined railway, a log unloading machine on the horizontal railway, log ejectin g means on the machine disposed to sweep laterally over the log loaded car, and flexiblereleasable connections between said machine and the car for holding the machine and car against lateral separation during the ejecting action.

f. In combination with a horizontal railin said 0 linder way, and an inclined railway paralleling the horizontal railway with its higher side next the horizontal railway, a log loaded car on the inclined railway, a log unloading machine on the horizontal railway, log ejecting means on the machine disposed to sweep laterally over the log loaded car, chains having open links at one end to releasably engage parts of the log loaded car and having clips at their other ends selectively engaged with the chain links and adapted to grasp parts of the machine.

5. A log unloading machine comprising a carriage, a ram cylinder rotatably mounted thereon, a' plunger therein, a plunger head coupled to said plunger and having short sharp prongs thereon, means for supplying an active medium to the ram cylinder, and means for adjusting the ram cylinder rotatably.

6. A log unloading machine comprising a wheeled platform, a ram cylinder mounted rotatably upon the platform, a plunger therein, a plunger head coupled to the plunger, means on the platform for supplying active medium to said cylinder, means for swinging the cylinder in one direction, and brake means for holding the cylinder in adjusted position.

7. A log unloading device comprising a car, a ram cylinder pivoted upon the car in unstable equilibrium, a plunger in said cylinder, a plunger head coupled to said plunger, means for supplying active medium to said cylinder, a cable coupled to raise said cylinder, a hand actuated drum for winding said cable, and brake means for the cable, and brake release means connected to said brake means.

8. A log unloading machine comprising a car, a ram cylinder pivotally mounted therein in a state of a source of active medium supply to said cylinder, valve control means for the medium supply, a plunger in said cylinder, a plunger head coupled to said plunger, a cable slidingly connected to said cylinder, a drum for winding said cable adjoining said valve, and a brake for the drum disposed acent said drum.

9. A log unloading machine comprising a car, standards erected on said car, a cylinder having trunnions j ournaled in said standards in a state of unstable equilibrium, a plunger in said cylinder, a plunger head coupled to said plunger, a valve chest on said cylinder, connections between said valve chest and the end portions of the cylinder, a valve actuating member on the exterior of said casing, a source of active fluid medium supply to said valve chest, means for rotatand braking means for the last named means. I

MILLARD FILLMORE CRAWFORD.

unstable equilibrium, 

